In a large bowl, combine sliced pork butt and chicken thigh meat with the chilled Al Pastor Marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the marinade, toast guajillo chile, ancho chile, chipotle and chile de arbol in a hot oven or in a dry skillet over medium high heat. Set aside.

Broil or grill pineapple and onion slices until golden brown, set aside. Dice and reserve half for the tacos.

Place oregano, cloves, garlic, cumin, ginger and chiles on a plate. Heat a sauce pot on high heat and add vegetable oil. Add all of the spices at once. Toast for 2 minutes. Add the chiles to the spices and let them fry a little.

Add 1/2 the slices of grilled onions and grilled pineapple. Add pineapple juice, pilloncillo, vinegar, salt and freshly ground pepper, bring to a boil and cook at a simmer for 30 minutes. Once cooked, blend in a blender until smooth and strain though a sieve.

Cool completely before marinating chicken and pork.

Once marinated, cook chicken and pork slice on medium heat grill about 8 minutes or until desired doneness. Rest before cutting it into small dice for tacos.

In a 350-degree oven roast the ancho and gaujillo chiles for about 8 to 10 minutes. Submerge into hot water. Let them sit for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from water. Puree in blender with a cup of warm water. Set aside.

Serve and enjoy, with refried beans Mexican rice, and some homemade corn or flour tortillas.

Serves 4-6.

Diners wanting to celebrate Mexican culture this Cinco de Mayo might want to read up on some history.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates one battle in 1862 when the Mexican army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla. Except for the residents of the Puebla region or its capital city of the same name, few of their fellow countrymen observe the day. Americans, however, tend to love it and host parades, street festivals and more.

Southern Californians, particularly, embrace May 5 as a day of fiestas and food. But toss the ground beef tacos and say no to nachos. Los Angeles and its neighboring cities are home to rich Latino communities with the people as richly diverse as the food, so instead opt for mole poblano, chalupas or barbacoa de Puerco (barbecue pig).

Mixing traditional flavors with modern twists is a craft that renowned chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger — both former competitors of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters” television show — have perfected at Border Grill, the duo’s restaurant chain which has local locations in downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica. And this weekend the restaurants are celebrating the Mexican holiday May 3-5 with entertainment and hearty dishes showcasing bold foods and flavors from Mexico, particularly the Yucatan and Oaxaca.

The downtown L.A. restaurant, with Executive Sous Chef Eddie Garcia at the helm, will even host Aztec Dancers this weekend and have a pig roast, while in Santa Monica, Chef Robert Lia will prepare Al Pastor shrimp quesadillas, soft shell crab tacos and Spot Prawn Tiradito on May 4.

Garcia’s family roots are from Mexicali and his dishes reflect a respect for history.

He said the dishes at Border Grill have a fresh flavor profile that should conjure up images of how Mexican grandmothers would have made them.

Henry Gonzalez couldn’t agree more.

As chef and owner of Spaggi’s in Upland, he’s always experimenting with new flavors and dishes. His suggestion for those looking to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at home to try birria, which is a spicy Mexican meat stew usually made with goat (though Gonzalez prefers beef). The Jalisco dish is popular for celebrations such as Christmas, Mother’s Day and birthdays.

Gonzalez, a second-generation Mexican American with family ties in Jalisco, is known throughout the Inland Valley for his Italian food, but when it comes to his roots traditions remain strong.